BY LEULSEGED WORKU
Life is an unpredictable journey where no one can exactly tell the final destination. A life that began with adventure and excitement might end up with tragedy. Likewise, a life that started with unhappiness might end up with excitement. That is why no one can predict what life brings to him/her like in the latter ages.
As the saying goes a disability can occur at any time during a person’s lifetime, an individual with perfect physical structure might lose his/her strength at some point. This could be caused either by natural disasters or man-made problems. At this point, a person who used to function daily activities without anyone`s support will be totally dependent on others. This in turn causes psychological trauma and social problems to the person; and brings economic burden to parents.
This problem will even get worse when there is no proper infrastructure to support disabled individuals at school, hospital as well as in service giving institutions among others. Kaleab Tadesse, is among these individuals who became victims of such problems. Kaleab is a teenager living here in Addis Ababa. At his early age, because of nerve related health problems, he is forced to stick to his wheelchair.
“Life is hard for a teenager who became physically impaired and compelled to lead life sitting on a wheelchair. However, thanks to the support I got from my father and the people around me, I can withstand and manage all my challenges,” said Kaleab.
According to him, being disabled at this early age creates some type of stress on victims. Nevertheless, this does not mean disability is inability. “No matter how difficult the infrastructures are for individuals with some type of disabilities here in Addis Ababa, the psychological makeup I developed through time and the courage I got from the people around me helped me to be more strong, committed and inspired to achieve my goals. Individuals like Jessica Cox, the first person without arms to obtain a pilot’s license, artist Alem Getachew, artist Biruk Yeshitela and others are my inspirations.
Kaleab has a firm believe that disability should not be taken as an excuse not to achieve one`s goal. “Well, I am not underestimating the challenges that disabled individuals face at their day to day activities. But we, individuals with disability, should take all the risks so as to achieve our goals by working and studying hard. We should invest in our mind. We should not be discouraged by the hurdles we may face on our roads. The more we encourage ourselves, the more the people around us will be more supportive. We should use all opportunities to be self-reliant in all aspects,” he remarked.
According to him, individuals with physical disability should not be discouraged by external scenarios. There are several people with disabilities whose knowledge and wisdom has benefited not only themselves; but also the whole world. Due to the positive mental pattern; they create a better world for themselves and others as well. If these people were discouraged by all the criticisms and stigmas from their respective societies and excuses they gave to themselves, it would not be possible for us to witness their achievements.
As he stated, our self-esteem emanates from the books we read, the people around us or our previous experiences. “Self-esteem is one of the most important factors for every physically disabled person. Kaleab opined. In this regard, physically disabled people should beat our challenges and use them for our own good. “We should develop a positive attitude to ourselves. When our self-image is positive, we see our environment as a safe place to interact and develop ourselves. What is more, the more we develop positive self-image; we can easily interact with people around us and face our goals and objectives with better resources. On the contrary, if we have a blurry perception about ourselves, even a simple daily action can become challenging and dangerous.”
“I am currently living with my father in a very tight house but that did not prevent me from seeing hope in the midst of all the challenges I am passing through. My father might not have all the necessary financial support to help me with all my needs; but he still is my hero. He always cares for me. Without him, I could not have seen the bright side of life. That is why I am committed to the art – to be a successful artist, get psychological relief as well as support myself and my father.”
Life is very challenging for individuals with disabilities. This is especially true for those who are denied from getting the desired support. He is grateful to his father, neighbors and classmates for their relentless support. Most of the school infrastructure and the road are not suitable for individuals like him. However, by the support of his father and friends, he can able to overcome most of those challenges.
During the discussion this journalist had asked Kaleab the power of art in boosting his psychological makeup and building self- image. According to him, art in all forms has a positive impact on all human kinds. “As an artist engaged in visual art, I have witnessed this several times. Whenever I find myself with my art works, I feel great. All the sorrow and negative energy surrounding me will fade away. What is more, it helps me to express my feelings and convey messages to others.”
As to Kaleab, there are several times that others fail to understand the feelings of others. Under such circumstance, art is the best medicine to purify the soul from all negative energy and convey message. “For instance, as one can guess from my paintings, I tried to convey my message to the government or any other concerned organ the challenges of disabled persons. That is why I consider art as a medicine and a way to reflect one`s feeling. Art is everything for me,” he concluded.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 24 MARCH 2023
